How to Choose a Coach: What to Look for Before Getting Started

If you've ever searched online for a coach, you'll know there's no shortage of choice.

Life coaches, health coaches, positive health coaches, executive coaches, wellbeing coaches, career coaches... the list goes on.

But how do you decide who might be right for you?

The title a coach uses can give you an indication of the areas they work in, but it doesn't necessarily tell you very much about their training, professional background, experience or approach.

Coaching is a broad field, with considerable variation between practitioners. In Ireland, the general title of coach is not a legally protected professional title, so it's worth looking a little further than the description someone gives themselves.

Here are four things you might find useful to consider.

1. Education, training and experience

What informs someone's coaching practice?

Coaches come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some have qualifications in psychology, healthcare, education or business. Others bring extensive professional or personal experience in particular fields.

Coaching-specific training is another consideration. This can range from short introductory courses to substantial programmes involving supervised practice, assessment and professional development.

You might want to look at:

• What qualifications and professional experience does the coach have?
• Have they completed coaching-specific training?
• Do they have particular knowledge or expertise relevant to what you're hoping to work on?

There isn't necessarily one right combination.

For example, someone looking for support with leadership development might value particular professional experience, while someone exploring health-related behaviour change might place greater importance on knowledge of health and behaviour.

Which elements matter most is for you to decide.

2. Their approach to coaching

Two coaches offering apparently similar services may work quite differently.

Some may draw on positive psychology, others on particular coaching models or frameworks. Their education, experience and professional expertise will often influence how they understand and approach the work.

It's worth finding out what coaching with that person actually involves.

How do they structure their sessions? What kinds of goals or challenges do they typically work with? How do they support clients in making progress?

You might also want to understand what coaching can and cannot offer.

For example, coaching can support people to explore their goals, circumstances, choices and behaviours. It doesn't replace medical assessment, psychological therapy or other specialist care when those are needed.

A coach should be able to explain their approach, including the boundaries of their expertise.

3. Professional ethics; something you might not think to check

This is an aspect of choosing a coach that can easily be overlooked.

Several professional coaching associations have established codes of ethics that set expectations for their members' professional behaviour.

For example:

• EMCC Global: the European Mentoring and Coaching Council's international successor organisation is a founding signatory of the Global Code of Ethics for Coaches, Mentors and Supervisors.
• The Association for Coaching (AC) requires its members to follow its Global Code of Ethics.
• The International Coaching Federation (ICF) requires its members and credential-holders to follow the ICF Code of Ethics.

These codes address important matters such as confidentiality, professional boundaries, conflicts of interest, honesty about qualifications and experience, and working within one's competence.

They also establish expectations around how coaches conduct themselves professionally and, through their respective organisations, processes for raising concerns about conduct.

Membership of a professional association doesn't guarantee that someone will be a good coach, or that they will always behave ethically. But it can provide an additional level of professional accountability.

Membership and accreditation are not necessarily the same thing.

Membership generally involves joining a professional association and agreeing to its applicable requirements.

Accreditation or credentialing involves a separate process of demonstrating that specified professional standards have been met. Depending on the organisation and level, this may include evidence of training, coaching experience, assessment, supervision and continuing professional development.

If a coach says they belong to a professional association or hold a particular accreditation, you can often verify this through the relevant organisation's directory.

It's a relatively simple check that may give you useful information before deciding whom to work with.

4. Personal fit and the coaching relationship

Finally, there's the person themselves.

Coaching is a collaborative process. You may be discussing things that matter deeply to you, exploring assumptions you've made or considering changes that feel difficult.

Having confidence in your coach and feeling comfortable enough to engage openly in those conversations is important.

Many coaches offer a complimentary introductory conversation before you commit to working together.

It's an opportunity to find out more about their approach, explain what you're hoping to achieve and get a sense of whether you could work well together.

You don't have to decide that someone is the right coach simply because they have impressive qualifications or came highly recommended.

The relationship matters too.

Making a choice that's right for you

There's no single combination of qualifications, professional experience, coaching methods or personal qualities that makes someone the right coach for everyone.

Your reasons for seeking coaching will be individual to you, as will the qualities and experience you value in someone supporting you.

Understanding a little more about what's behind the title can help you make an informed choice.

And if you're considering coaching, an introductory conversation can be a useful place to start.

About Éistim Coaching

Éistim Coaching was founded by Shauna Garvey, PhD, an EMCC-accredited Senior Practitioner and Positive Health Coach.

Shauna's approach brings together her academic background in pharmacology and neuroscience, her training in positive psychology and evidence-based health coaching, and her professional and personal experience.

Through Éistim, she offers a collaborative, non-judgemental approach to coaching, helping clients explore their priorities, circumstances and goals, and identify realistic, sustainable ways forward.

Professional bodies and ethical standards

• EMCC Global — Professional accreditation
• Global Code of Ethics for Coaches, Mentors and Supervisors
• Association for Coaching — Global Code of Ethics
• International Coaching Federation — Code of Ethics